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Curanderismo THE ART OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE FOLK HEALING
Curanderismo
• It is the art of Mexican Folk Healing from the word curar, meaning to heal
• Uses a holistic approach to healing – mind, body, and spirit
• Who is a curandero/a?
• A traditional healer working in the material, spiritual, and mental levels
• Someone with a don (a gift)
• An apprentice
• Attends specialized school – Centro de Desarollo Hacia La Comunidad (CEDEHC)
Influences of Curanderismo
1. A blend of Native American and Spanish roots
2. Judeo-Christian – gift from God and belief in God
3. Greek Humoral – Equilibrium of hot and cold
4. Arabic – Directing psychic energy
5. African – Santeria blend of Catholic saints and African orichas
6. Spiritualism and Psychic – Spiritual trances and communication with spirits
7. Scientific – Germ theory, Psychology, and Bio-Medicine
Evolution of Medicinal Herbs
• Aztec Pharmacology
• 1,200 medicinal herbs
• Aztecs treated arthritis gastrointestinal ills, hepatitis, etc.
Fusion of Traditional and Allopathic Medicine
• Curanderismo has influenced the revival of alternative, contemporary, holistic, integrated medicine
• $21 billion in consumer spending
• Andrew Weil, MD,’s Common Sense Approach
• “Can’t hurt, could help”
• Less fat, animal food, stress
• Eliminate of reduce intake of booze, cigarettes, coffee
• Begin exercise, massage, and hypnosis therapy
• Use herbs, olive oil, garlic, ginger, etc.
• Keep lots of fresh flowers
Common Goals: Modern & Traditional Medicine
Andrew Weil, MD Author
• Modern “Integrative Medicine” specialist • Emphasizes holistic, common-sense
approach to treatment and healing
Don Pedrito Traditional Healer, Los Olmos Ranch
• Traditional 19th Century Mexican Folk Healer • Emphasized holistic, common-sense
approach to treatment and healing
Integrative/Complimentary/Alternative Medicine
• “Of the 130 U.S. accredited medical schools, 100 cover alternative/ complimentary/ integrative medicine” - The Association of American Medical Colleges
• In New Mexico we have:
• UNM’s Center for Life – Dr. Arti Prasad
• Ayurveric Institute
• Sanjevani Integrative Medical Center
• Southwest Acupuncture College
UNM 2-Week Summer Class: Traditional Medicine without Borders
• 2-week, in-person, class
• Offered in the summer since 2002
• Held at the University of New Mexico – Main Campus, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Features history of curanderismo with hands-on activities with guest healers from Mexico
• Participants study herbs, rituals, folk medicines, and important figures in healing
• Website: curanderismo.unm.edu
• Email: [email protected]
UNM Online Classes: Traditional Medicine of Mexico and the Southwest & Global Perspectives
Fall Semesters: Part 1: Curanderismo of Mexico & the SW
• 16-week, 3 credit hour course, fully online
• Featured topics:
• Laugh Therapy (risaterapia)
• Interstinal Blockage (empacho)
• Energetic/Spiritual Cleansings (limpias)
• Fire cupping (ventosas)
• Many more!
Spring Semesters: Part 2: Global Perspectives
• 16-week, 3 credit hour, course, fully online
• Featured topics:
• African Traditional Medicine (Uganda & Gabon)
• Afro-Cuban Healing
• Afro-Puerto Rican Healing
• Mayan Acupuncture & Abdominal Massage
• Sacred Tobacco of Peru, etc.
Bonus: Coursera Courses, which are fully online and free. These four 5-week courses cover healing the body and spirit/energy, and cultural traditions.
Teaching Cultural Competencies to Medical Schools with Coursera
Curanderismo: Traditional Healing using Plants
1 Introduction to Curanderismo: The Art of Traditional Medicine
Interviews with Traditional Healers
2 Plants of the Southwest
Medicinal Plants for the Digestive System
3 Medicinal Plants for the Nervous System
Tinctures and Microdosis
4 Juice Therapy
Geotherapy
5 Healing with Herbal Oils
Herbal Smoke for Healing
Teaching Cultural Competencies to Medical Schools with Coursera
Curanderismo: Traditional Healing of the Body
1 Intestinal Blockage
Shawl Alignments
2 Fire Cupping
Bone Setter
3 Mayan Abdominal Massage
Body Adjustment
4 Spinal Alignment
Hydrotherapy
5 Traditional Healing of Infants
Traditional Healing for the Aging Community
Teaching Cultural Competencies to Medical Schools with Coursera
Curanderismo: Traditional Healing of the Mind, Energy and Spirit
1 Spiritual Healing
Healing Fright and Shock
2 Spiritual Cleansings
Tonalli Cleansing
3 Burning Incense for Harmonizing
Laugh Therapy
4 Temazcal
5 Healing Through Sound
Healing with Music
6 Creating Sacred Spaces for Healing
Healing Grief through Day of the Dead
Teaching Cultural Competencies to Medical Schools with Coursera
Curanderismo: Global and Cultural Influences of Traditional Healing
1 El Ultimo: Chenchito, the Last of the Fidencista Healers
2 African Traditional Medicine
African Healing through Music
3 Afro-Latino Healing through Music and Dance
Afro-Cuban Healing Techniques
4 Afro-Puerto Rican Healing Modalities
Sacred Tobacco of Peru/Medicinal Plants for Women
5 Native American Feather Healing
Mayan Acupuncture
Curanderismo of Mexico and the Southwest
Introduction to Curanderismo Dr. Arturo Ornelas and Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres
• Dr. Ornelas and Dr. Torres discuss the art of Curanderismo during the online class
Medicinal Plants of the Southwest Dr. Tomas Enos
• Dr. Enos gives a demonstration on medicinal plants of the Southwest during the online class
• Benefits:
• Plants can help with liver, sleeping, detox, infusion, etc.
Mexican Sweatlodge (Temazcal) Demonstrations Rita Navarrete
• Rita demonstrates the ritual of the temazcal in the online class presentation.
• Benefits:
• Used to purify the body in Mesoamerican ceremonies
• Now used to cleanse the body, mind, and spirit in Mexico, South America, and the Southwest
• Releases toxins through sweating
• Moves lymphatic system through exfoliation
Laura’s Temazcal Los Lunas, New Mexico
Tonita’s Temazcal Tonantzin Albuquerque, New Mexico
Fire Cupping (ventosas) Rita Navarrete
• Rita demonstrates fire cupping, or ventosas during this online demonstration.
• Benefits:
• Mobilizes blood flow to promote healing for digestive problems and pain.
Intestinal Blockage (empacho) Albertana “Tana” Sanchez
• Tana demonstrates the technique of removing an intestinal blockage, or empacho, as part of the online class.
• Benefits:
• Alleviates boating, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Energetic/Spiritual Cleansings (limpias) Laurencio Lopez Nunez
• Laurencio gets ready to perform an energetic/spiritual cleansings, or limpia, on Cheo during the online class.
• Benefits:
• Elements such as an egg, herbs, copal, incense, candle, and water/mescal can be used to absorb and sweep negative vibration.
Symbolic Hand Beliefs for Protection & Mal de Ojo
• Hamsa, from Israel Judaism
• Khamsa, from Egyptian Islam
• La Mano Poderosa, from Mexican Christianity
• All share similar amulets for protection
Laugh Therapy (risaterapia) Rita Navarrete
• Rita helps the group learn about laugh therapy, or risaterapia, in this online class demonstration.
• Benefits:
• Increases natural pain killer cells – endorphins
• Suppresses stress hormones – epinephrine
• Helps cellular immune response
• Exercises lungs, circulatory system, and oxygen to the blood
• Reduces stress and anxiety
Mayan Acupuncture Sofia Salazar
• Sofia demonstrates Mayan acupuncture in this segment of the online class.
• Benefits:
• Relieves pain, sciatica, tensions, headaches, etc.
Geotherapy – Clay Therapy (Geoterapia) Antoinette “Tonita” Gonzales
• Tonita practices Geotherapy on a patient in this online demonstration.
• Benefits:
• Clay is used for inflammation and stimulation for blood circulation, toning of skin, and absorption of toxins.
Juice Therapy (jugoterapia) Antoinette “Tonita” Gonzales and Rita Navarrete
• Tonita and Rita demonstrate juice therapy during the online class.
• Benefits:
• The variety of nutrients provides treatments for the body’s toxicity and deficiency.
Shawl Alignments (manteadas) Antoinette “Tonita” Gonzales and Rita Navarrete
• Rita demonstrates the shawl alignment or “manteada” technique during the online class.
• Benefits:
• Gentle massages for pregnancies, the elderly, and children.
Global Perspectives of Curanderismo
Sacred Tobacco Healing of Peru & NM Herbology Asheninka Mino and Bernadette Torres
• Mino and Bernadette demonstrate tobacco healing practices during the online class.
• Benefits:
• Tobacco is used for spiritual cleansings and to treat some ailments.
Ugandan Traditional Medicine
• Ugandan healers share African traditional herbal remedies
• Promotes traditional medicine through a forest school for practitioners with a medicinal garden
• Creates a medicinal garden for medicinal and nutritional plant and a health clinic
• Processes, packages, and markets herbal medicine
• Improves midwifery services
• Uses traditional herbal medications for HIV/AIDS infections
African Healing through Music from Gabon
• Healer from Gabon, Bokaye, plays the Mogongo musical instrument to communicate with spirits
• Bokaye uses religious rituals through music that induces visions and promotes spiritual growth
• The vibrations from the musical instruments, songs, and chants are part of the holistic healing practices of the African Bwiti religion
Afro-Cuban Healing Techniques
• Pedro, from Cuba, uses cigar smoke and a coconut as part of a spiritual cleansing
• Cuban limpias involve elements of nature common to the island of Cuba, such as plants, egg shells, rum, and cigar smoke
• Cuban healing is a mixture of Christianity along with West and Central African traditions
• Pedro is referred to as a Babalawo, Santero, Palo Monte, and Curandero
Modern Curanderos(as)
Jewel Babb – “The Goat Woman of West Texas” Valentine, Texas
• Was the only doctor in Valentine
• Used massage therapy and prayer
• Discovered growing power at age 56
• Kept Aloe Vera in her home
• Talked to God
• Did not charge for services
Crescencio Alvarado Nuñez - “Chenchito” Espinazo, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
• Well-known Fidencista
• Has been material, curandero, all his life
• Channels spirit of the famous Niño Fidencio
• Cheo’s teacher
Rita Navarrete Mexico City
• Has been practicing for over 28 years
• Started her practice in Mexico city
• Continued in Cuernavaca and Jilotepec
• Known as an educator of Laugh Therapy (risaterapia) and Mexican Sweatlodge (temazcal)
• Teaches temazcal, massage, and medicinal plant classes
Antoinette Gonzales – “Tonita” Gonzales Ranch, New Mexico
• Completed her Traditional Medicine studies at El Centro de Desarrollo Humano Hacia la Comunidad (CEDEHC) in Mexico
• Apprenticed with Rita Navarrete
• Worked in Mexico City and Jilotepec
• Has a clinic and temazcal in the North Valley of Albuquerque
Texts on Curanderismo
Curanderismo
• Is not just a healing modality, but rather choosing a lifestyle of consciousness
• “To be healthy, we need to understand that we have to be balanced physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.”
-Tonita Gonzales